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Fingers
Fingers was a mage and an Avowed in the Sixth BladeGardens of the Moon, Dramatis Personae of the Crimson Guard. He was described as "a skinny youth bearing an unruly thatch of thick black hair", though "youth" would have only been in relation to appearance given that he had been an Avowed for over a hundred years. Crokus described Fingers as a tall, thin man with a narrow hatchet face who wore a longcoat of gray and crimson.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 23, US TPB p.469 Fingers performed a number of impressive feats of magic, though his Warrens were unknown, he possessed some skill with high Denul. Fingers had a wry and sarcastic sense of humor, and appeared to never take a situation with much seriousness. Once when he thought he would have to cut off his own hand to save his life he jokingly said, "Goodbye hand! So much for rope climbing".Stonewielder, Chapter 12, UK TPB p.588 In Gardens of the Moon Fingers appeared in Darujhistan on the night of the Gedderone Fête alongside Crokus, showing that the thief was being protected by the Crimson Guard. Fingers identified himself and Corporal Blues — who had just saved Crokus' life and was then engaged in a jaw-dropping duel with the Adjunct Lorn. Fingers informed Crokus that a trio of Crimson Guardsmen had been assigned to protect the thief — Cowl having taken to the rooftops and the other two on the ground. Fingers offered Crokus the compliments of Prince K'azz D'Avore and of Caladan Brood and suggested that the thief take refuge in a safe place. Looking at Baruk's Estate nearby, Fingers observed that Baruk was a powerful mage. Fingers also offered Crokus additional advice, telling him to ditch Oponn's Coin when the Coin Bearer's luck inevitably turned from good to bad.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 23, US TPB p.469-470 In Return of the Crimson Guard Fingers was part of Blues' Blade that recruited prisoners from The Pit, a Malazan prison for mages. During their escape by ship through the warren of Serc, the priest Yathengar 'ul Amal turned on his rescuers. Fingers was forced to take control of the Forlorn while the other Guardsmen attempted to deal with the crazed priest.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 3 Chapter 3, UK PB p.632 Yathengar sent the ship into Chaos before opening a rent into the midst of the Battle of the Plains.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 3 Chapter 3, UK PB p.630-633 The Forlorn crashed, spewing Fingers and the others onto the field, and Fingers was too injured to help the other survivors in the fight against Yathengar that followed.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 3 Chapter 3, UK PB p.647 Fingers soon reunited with the Guard, now once again under K'azz D'Avore's leadership, and left for Stratem by Warren.Return of the Crimson Guard, Book 3 Chapter 4, UK PB p.672 In Stonewielder Upon receiving word that missing Guardsman Iron Bars was a prisoner on the Stormwall, Blues led Fingers, Lazar, and Shell on a rescue mission. They crossed from Stratem to Korel by foot, running afoul of the Chase, a Jheck war band.Stonewielder, Chapter 3, UK TPB p.137-141 After crossing the Iceback Range into the Plains of Blight, they hired Orzu and his clan of Sea-Folk to sail them to Korel Island.Stonewielder, Chapter 5, UK TPB p.267 When they reached the Stormguard fortress at Shelter, they infiltrated the Stormwall by passing themselves off as prisoners. Fingers was clapped in an otataral bracelet to prevent access to his Warren.Stonewielder, Chapter 7, UK TPB p.349-350 As the Stormwall began to come down, Fingers was injured by a collapsing tower which broke both of his legs. Determined not to die without his magic, he considered severing his hand in order to remove the otataral bracelet. Before he could do so, the Toblakai Champion Hagen broke the restraint for him with his bare hands.Stonewielder, Chapter 12, UK TPB p.587-588 Fingers made his way to the rest of the squad, healing Shell's injuries before joining Blues and Shell against High Mage Ussü. They retrieved Bars, Corlo, and Jemain and Blues transported them all away by Warren before the Wall fell.Stonewielder, Chapter 12, UK TPB p.590-593 Once free, they sensed Skinner and his Disavowed at the Sky Tower. They raced to meet them only to see their former comrades disappear into a Warren with a fragment of the Crippled God. Fingers and the others returned to Stratem to inform K'azz D'Avore.Stonewielder, Chapter 12, UK TPB p.615-619 In Dancer's Lament Before the founding of the Malazan Empire — during the reign of King Chulalorn the Third of Itko Kan — Fingers was a member and mage of the Crimson Guard under the command of Courian D'Avore. The young Fingers was skinny, pale, and with a face full of freckles. He had a wild mop of sandy brown hair and a tendency to roll his eyes and to make flippant remarks.Dancer's Lament, Chapter 12, US HC p.229 Fingers and the Guard were on the Seti Plains of Quon Tali, to escort and to protect Malkir Herengar — heir to the Grisian throne — during Malkir's campaign to hunt down the man-beast, Ryllandaras.Dancer's Lament, Chapter 3, US HC p.64 Fingers was part of a group of Guardsmen who were making a reconnaissance, under the leadership of Auralas, to determine the general location of Ryllandaras. This group of the Guard encountered a provisioning party out of Li Heng — who badly needed the assistance of the Guard because the Li Heng party had been attacked by some Itko Kanese raiders. The fighting — which then occurred involving the three forces — resulted in much bloodshed. Fingers was assigned by Auralas to keep an eye out for Ryllandaras — who could well be attracted by all the spilled blood. In order to help himself do this, Fingers evidently accessed an unspecified Warren.Dancer's Lament, Chapter 12, US HC p.229-230 Later, back at the main encampment of the Guard, Fingers laughed and joked with other members of the Guard during dinner. Unlike the armoured mercenaries surrounding him, Fingers wore only a jerkin made of leather and a pair of buff-coloured trousers.Dancer's Lament, Chapter 12, US HC p.235 Trivia In an apparently inadvertent error of some sort, the name — "Fingers" — appeared exactly once in Kellanved's Reach by Esslemont. "Fingers" was used to seemingly refer to a major character in the book,Kellanved's Reach, Chapter 11, US TPB p.179 who was consistently referred to by a completely different name throughout the rest of KR. This has caused a great deal of speculation on the part of many readers. Notes and references de:Flinkfinger Category:Avowed Category:Crimson Guard members Category:Mages Category:Males Category:Soldiers